The empty Room
by SumaniDavings
Summary: 500 years after the Reaper War things have settled down and life goes on. But for some memories still lurk just around the corner. Liara x Shepard


_Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect. I also don't own a Reaper to do my bidding._

**The empty Room  
**

The young woman in front of a heavily locked door didn't have much spare attention for her surroundings while she attempted to convince the lock that she was a perfectly authorized individual and had every right to pass the door into the room of the head of security. This would have been easier for her if she didn't have to work with an Omnitool that she had _borrowed _from a hapless worker of this place who would be very late for his shift. Or was it her? How the hell did you tell the difference with Salarians anyway. Maybe if she had paid more attention back in school she would know if Salarian females even existed. Anyway, for a race allegedly obsessed with science this tool was beyond primitive. It could hardly handle what the seventeen year old wanted it to do, but they were getting close.

"Come on pal, don't be so... tired and slow, okay?", she pleaded with the Omnitool, but seconds before she heard the clearance beep indicating she could finally enter, she heard the sound of a nonhuman throat clearing behind her. Damn.

"What the hell are you doing here? No, no, indulge me, I'm sure it's quite an interesting tale, Miss Shipmate." The woman had frozen and in the silence following the Turians bitingly sarcastic words the happy beep of the door lock rang like a church bell.

"Er... well... would you believe I just wanted to pay a friendly visit to you and get my sweet little Omnitool back?"

She had enough experience with Aliens in general and Turians in particular to read his face while he scoffed at her.

"Right. I might be more inclined to do so if you tried to actually break into my office. And need I remind you that the possession of any Omnitool, not just your own, is a direct breach of your probation requirements?"

"Hello? It says _Head of Security _right there at the sign. And you're the head honcho here, aren't you?"

The Turian made a face and she had to stop herself from giggling and getting even deeper into trouble.

"You are wasting your time, _if _you state the truth. You see, my title is _Chief _of Security. You should pay attention to detail or you will see much more of the likes of me."

"Wait, you have a Head and a Chief? What the hell for? Doesn't that get confusing?"

"No, it doesn't. Now, I believe the penalty for possession of an Omnitool is three more month of social hours."

"Whatever. It's not like I have anywhere to go on this forsaken rock anyway."

"And what exactly is the matter here?", another voice drifted through the corridor. It was quiet and seemed almost detached, yet it commanded immediate attention from both the juvenile troublemaker and the Turian.

"Ma'am. Sorry, there has been a minor incident with the door of the Head's office being hacked and almost broken into. I have everything under control."

The woman was sure that if he could the Turian would be heavily sweating right now. He probably did whatever Turians did instead.

"I see." The voice of the newcomer was still soft and without judgment, but the Chief tried to stand even straighter. As if that was possible.

The owner of the voice finally came around the corner and the young human laid eyes on the figure of an Asari. An Asari half a century old.

_Crap, I didn't know this was _her _corporation._

Even with her 500 years the Asari was more than recognizable. After all she and Urdnot "I was born grown up" Grunt were the last people who ever worked closely with The Shepard that were still alive.

"Matriarch Liara.", the woman, who was feeling very much like the girl she had been not so long ago, greeted the Asari and hung her head. If she'd known this tiny venture was owned by one of the war heroes she would have been a bit more respectful.

"And who might you be? I don't think I ever saw you around here. But then again you might not have been born when I was here last.", the Asari asked with curiosity and a hint of mischief.

"Er... Kaori Shipmate, Ma'am."

"Shipmate?" The blue woman spoke carefully. "But the _Nixos _isn't due for another twelve months."

Before Kaori could ask how the hell an Asari Matriarch knew the name of her ship the Turian interrupted.

"Miss Shipmate here was caught shoplifting at one of the vendor machines and currently serves a five month parole with us."

"I see. That is most unfortunate. And your captain left you behind?"

"Said it would be a lesson in character building. They'll take me aboard in a year again. Somehow he negotiated with the manager that they'll employ me until the _Nixos _comes to port. And before that I am to do two months of community service here as well."

"Five.", the Turian corrected. Damn stickler.

"That was wise of him. You seem prone to get yourself into trouble when you are not busy."

Kaori shrugged. It wasn't her fault the vendor machines were laughable easy. They were _begging_ her to be robbed.

"Now, unto a more important matter. You just broke a lock that I was assured was the pinnacle of security. Of course, that was two years ago, but still. And you did it with...", she looked at the Omnitool Kaori currently used and raised her eyebrows, "a piece of crap. You have to get yourself something better."

"Well... it's not... exactly mine, Ma'am. I might have taken it from one of the office workers."

"Tell me, Callick, do we pay our employees so little?"

"No, Ma'am, I believe that is Chadwicks 'tool, and he is a hardcore miser. I assure you our paychecks are reasonable."

Kaori was shocked by what she heard. "Wait, you say I could have worked with something born in _this _century?"

"If you had pickpocketed any of our other employees, then apparently yes. How long did it take you to break it?"

"The lock? Half an hour. Could have done it in fifteen if I had Vanda."

Liara let loose a giggle. "Sorry, but you named your Omnitool?"

"Well, it's not like I could have a kitten or anything aboard a freighter.", the human defended herself while a blush crept in her cheeks.

"No, no, it's just, you are so alike."

Kaori wanted to ask who she was alike to, but something in the way the Asari looked at her stopped her dead in her tracks. Suddenly the Asari moved and stood besides her. Kaori had seen a lot of dangerous people while traveling the stars. She herself was reasonably dangerous given the right circumstances. But Liara was something else. She wasn't even trying and Kaori was intimidated. Whatever else she would do while on this godforsaken rock, she would try not to piss off the Asari Matriarch. Liara opened the door.

"As you can see, this room is mostly empty.", she leaned closer to Kaoris ear and whispered, "The Chief's office is further down the main corridor to the right."

Kaori looked around the office she had wasted thirty minutes to get into. It was empty, safe for a desk and a chair. And, confusingly enough, an aquarium teeming with exotic fishes. Besides that there was nothing here.

"I really don't get it. Why do you even have this here?"

"That doesn't matter. It belongs to a person that never showed up."

Kaori looked around the pristine room once more and decided not to pry any further. If the Matriarch kept the room in this state and even installed a lock like that, there were bound to be a lot of wounds she could rip open simply by asking things like Who or Why.

"So, now that you know, you should probably get back to work, right?"

"Yes, Ma'am.", she replied instinctively and blushed.

"Callick, I will stay for a while."

"But you..." The Asari nipped his protest in the bud with a single glance. Maybe Kaori could get her to teach her that. It was dead useful. "Understood, Ma'am."

Three rather boring months later Kaori's routine was shaken up by another Asari. She had come and gone from the office a few times, and Kaori noticed her because she had a scar at one of her tentacle whatever things that actually made her distinguishable. Because, honestly? As hot as the blue aliens were, they all looked the same. The trouble of getting to know one and being able to reliably distinguish her form the rest was overshadowed by the aloof and often arrogant personalities too many of them had. Maybe it came with the territory if you belonged to a race that could make babies with (and be desirable to) virtually anything that was sentient. Hell, she had even met a few that had a Rachni queen for a father. Talk about creepy-strange.

Another reason why she noticed the Asari was because she seemed to study her. One time Kaori had caught the blue girl (she couldn't be older than maybe hundred, going by her mannerisms) blatantly staring at her. And now, while she was having her break and mourning the fact she could have Vanda back already if not for her own lack of skill and being caught again, the scarred Asari slid into the seat at the other side of the table.

"Can I help you?", she asked noncommittal. No way in hell would she hook up with an Asari while stranded. The other possibility for the alien's curiosity would be that she wanted Kaori to do something for her, which probably wouldn't be a good idea either. In the last three months she had gotten herself into trouble two times and both times she had a little _talk _with Liara. She still hadn't figured out how the Matriarch did threatening without any actual threatening. But Kaori knew she did not want to have a third conversation.

"Well, hello to you too, cousin."

Okay, that was not what she had expected. As far as she knew non of her family had ever had a close enough relationship with an Asari for there to be Asari cousins to run around. Then again, the _girl _in front of her could be older than her grandmother, so maybe the tale was simply lost.

"I... don't think I know you."

"No, you don't. Mother tends to get all secretive about my human relatives. But I overheard her talk to a friend the other day and she said that you and I are related. So, cousin. Until we can find out in what kind of relationship we really are."

"So... your mother works here?"

"Not exactly."

"Oh, I'm Kaori Shipmate, by the way."

"I'm Samara T'Soni. Nice to meet you", the Asari answered with a warm smile.

Kaori shook the hand while Samara cocked her head.

"You know, the resemblance is there, but it is rather subtle."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, between you and my father. At least from what I can see in the pictures."

"So, um... who's your father? I may know him and can give him shit about not telling us he had an Asari lover and never bothered to tell at the next family meeting."

"That won't be possible", the Asari said with a smile that was equal parts melancholic and mischievous. "My father died in the Reaper War."

"Oh, I'm sorry. My family was lucky and great-something-grandpa got out of it with his life. Plus, I always forget how... things work for your people."

"Don't sweat it. I find human reproduction fairly weird too."

"Huh... I thought Asari were... flexible, you know?"

"We are. Mostly. After a mind meld or two. It helps us to understand how things actually work with a given anatomy and how to make sure both parties enjoy the experience. But before that... the extranet is full of pictures. And most of it is gross."

"You know, the extranet tends to... not be the best place to learn about that if you don't know exactly were to go." Kaori could barely hold back her laughter as she imagined a young and impressionable Asari surfing the extranet and blushing blue. Not that Asari blushed. Or did they? She had never seen one do it.

"Well, I know that. Now. I was curious, okay? You haven't heard my mother when she gets all nostalgic."

"Oh...kay. Listen, I got to get back to work, but do you have plans for this evening? I'll be off work in three hours and the boredom here is killing me slowly. And you're the first one here who doesn't treat me like a criminal." Which wasn't the real reason she had refrained from making friends with anyone yet, but Samara didn't need to know that.

"Sure. I'll have to take you to some clubs. Can't have you die on me, can I?"

"That would be most unfortunate.", Kaori agreed, channeling the Matriarch. They both laughed. Until they saw Liara enter the cafeteria and immediately tried to become invisible. Maybe they even succeeded in evading the matriarch's notice.

It took Kaori one evening to figure out that her cousin – she refused to ascertain the exact degree of great-grandmotherhood the Asari would have with her – was at least as much trouble as Kaori herself. She should have stayed away, but Sam was fun to be around and, if she told the truth, they were family. As much as humans and Asari could be family. Kaori was still a bit fuzzy on that. Before she knew it, Kaori's determination not to make any lasting relationships on the planet went out of the airlock. It was strange how well they got to know each other in such a short time. Sam took her out to celebrate the return of Vanda. Kaori told her stories about her travels. Sam seemed to have spent an inordinate amount of time on training. She was actually a scary powerful biotic if she wanted to. The few times they were on a shooting range they found out Kaori was the better shot, but not by a far margin. Then again Sam had had formal training.

The fact that Sam was the only person Kaori spent any amount of time around was the reason she agreed to break into the empty office again. Not without advising against it, of course. The Matriarch had acted rather strange about the room and Kaori did not want to end up on her bad side. But Sam was unconcerned about the whole affair and called her a chicken, and that was that.

"I never should have told you why I was stranded here.", Kaori grumbled as she activated Vanda.

"I would have found out either way. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"'kay. Now, shut up for a minute and keep a lookout. I don't want to run into Matriarch Liara if I can help it."

"Che, that woman needs to learn how to relax. You know, her being a Matriarch is sort of like being Captain of a ship at the age of twenty-five for humans."

"Well, The Shepard came pretty close to that."

"My point exactly. There must have been something in the water for that generation."

"I think it was more like something in space. Giant Death Robots tend to force people to grow up fast, I imagine."

They waited in silence until the lock finally opened.

Dim light spread throughout the empty office.

"Why is it so dark?" Kaori wondered, more to herself.

"Probably so the fish can sleep."

Sam sneaked over to the desk and felt around for something. Suddenly the light became brighter and some wall panels flipped around. Kaori could only watch in awe as an assortment of weapons and a complete N7 armor came into view. Next to it were, oddly enough, some starship models of classes that were obsolete for centuries. Most of them looked like they were broken once and then repaired.

"How did you know about this?", Kaori asked while her eyes were caught by a holographic picture.

"I listen when people think I'm asleep. Otherwise I would never get to know anything."

"Look at that. It's a holo of The Shepard, the Matriarch and... Urdnot Wrex."

The battle hardened krogan Warlord who had lived to see the Krogan enter the Council didn't look as heroic as contemporary media tended to cast him, but he looked every bit the unrelenting fighter for his people he came to be known as.

"We absolutely need to get us a Krogan. We already have the crazy human tech and a biotic that can shake the foundations of the world."

"Vain much? Wait, you're casting me as The Shepard? That means I have to carry that sniper rifle around that is longer than I am tall? It probably weighs a ton."

"Also, you already have the Krogan. Wrex was a powerful biotic himself. What you are missing is a stunningly beautiful Asari scientist. I'm not sure where you will ever get one of those."

The two youngsters span around on their heels at the interjection of Liaras voice.

"Way to blow your own horn", Sam finally quipped with hypocritical humor, but the quivering of her voice betrayed her. All Kaori could think was _damn._

"You lied to me, young lady.", Liara now said to Kaori, "You told me you would need fifteen minutes to break the lock with Vanda. You only needed nine."

"Yeah... well... I already knew what to look for. This may not be the best time, but what _is _this place? A shrine to The Shepard?"

"It is a memento to my first lover. Shepard is also Samaras father."

Kaoris hands shot up in front of her chest.

"Wait a moment. You and The Shepard were an item? I really should have paid more attention in school instead of hacking the mainframe."

"It wouldn't have changed anything", Liara smiled, "I destroyed most of the evidence, and the few people who knew never felt the need to share this particular bit of history with anyone."

"People can keep something like _that _under wraps?" The young spacer couldn't believe it. "I mean, this is _The Shepard _we are talking about."

The Matriarch smiled again, ruefully. "I'm very good at careful history editing. I had to do a lot of that to keep the depictions of Shepard at least somewhat close to reality."

"Why would you go through all that trouble?"

"It was the way Shepard wished to be depicted in a historical recording I made when it looked like we would loose. It was only prudent I honored that wish when I lived to do so."

Suddenly another thing struck Kaori and her eyes went wide again.

"Sam said we were cousins, so if what you two told me is true then, The Shepard was a Shipmate?"

Liara laughed softly at that and walked over to the desk to sit down on the desktop besides her daughter who was still eying her warily. Most of this wasn't news for her.

"No, once upon a time some four centuries ago your families name was Shepard. Shepard's parents were in the alliance military too, and your great-grandmother Hannah was lost during the war as well. Only your great-grandfather escaped, and he took his two year old son and changed his name, because the human media wouldn't stop hounding him. I even helped him stage his own death. It was all very dramatic. I've kept an eye on your family ever since."

"And kept me away.", Sam grumbled in the background.

"Well, only few in the Shipmate family know about the connection. We want to keep it that way. They can do without the Asari that still lives in the past."

"Come on, Mum. Only half the time. The other half you are trying to team up with the Krogan Councilor to make the rest of the Krogan see reason."

Liara chuckled at that.

"Did The Shepard really carry that _thing _around and into battle?", Kaori asked in the spreading silence. The Matriarch walked over and lightly touched the heavy Anti-Materiel-Rifle.

"It was a gift from Thane. Or, to be more accurate, an heirloom. He left it to Shepard when he died."

"I never heard of anyone named Thane." Kaori was normally not big on history, but this was The Shepard they were talking about. An ancestor of hers even. Imagine that. In her mind The Shepard had somehow always arrived from a black hole and then made the ultimate sacrifice, after battling the Reapers and their proxies for years. A few of the more outlandish stories even claimed The Shepard had come back from the dead once.

"Thane was not a person that stood out. He was an assassin." Liara went on to explain. "He worked with Shepard for a while."

"So, you knew him too, then?"

"No, we had contact, but only in passing. We never met in person. He was very private, and so was I." Liara ripped herself from her memories. "Enough. We should all get some sleep."

"So...", Samara asked with a pout when her mother resealed the office, "Why exactly am I the designated Krogan? I mean, seriously. There's maybe one eighth of Krogan left in me, that doesn't even count."

"You forget that there is also one half Shepard in the mix. That makes you more or less three quarter Krogan."

"What? How does that work? You told me Shepard preferred sniper rifles."

"When it came to guns, yes. But I never told you that Shepard also preferred to gut enemies with the Omniblade. The rifle was for enemies that were too far away for that."

"You're kidding, right?", Kaori asked sceptically. Liara made a face at a distant memory.

"Sometimes I wish I were."

"Well that's one thing we don't have in common.", the human declared. Sam gave her a wicked grin.

"400 years of mixing genes will do that occasionally, you know. I'm surprised your hair is the same color."

"Well," Kaori admitted, "I might be dying it."

"Alright, home with the both of you. And Miss Shipmate, I expect you to be punctual tomorrow."

"Of course, Matriarch Liara", the young woman responded.

When Liara was finally out of sight Kaori relaxed at last.

"Whew. I thought we were in for it when she suddenly stood in the door."

"Sorry to drag you out here, but that is the only way to get her to tell old stories. She keeps the whole war really close to herself. And Grunt doesn't have so much insight into Shepard. Just keeps telling that the galaxy lost the Best Goddamn Battlemaster it ever had in that final battle. And he can tell you a thousand differences in destroying Collectors, Reapers and Geth. All of which have gone extinct, thanks to a certain father of mine. Well, there are also the stories of the Rachni, but have you ever seen a more peaceful race?"

They reached a crossing and Kaori stopped.

"Well, see you tomorrow then. Try not to get me into trouble again for another month? I kinda want to leave once the _Nixos_ gets here."

"I make no promises. But we'll stay in contact, right?"

"Of course we will. Cousin."

They shared a parting smile and went home for the night to maybe get a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow would be hell.

* * *

_As you probably noticed Shepard doesn't get a real description here (aside from the fact of being an infiltrator). That's so you can insert your own Shepard of a gender to your liking. Shepard gets the fancy "The Shepard"-title because I noticed that's what the small child at the very end of ME 3 calls the galaxy-saving hero and I can totally see hero worship muddling the facts, especially after a few centuries._


End file.
